Final answer:
A Narrow Therapeutic Index (NTI) drug has a small margin between the effective and toxic doses, requiring precise dosing and careful monitoring. Drugs like warfarin are examples of NTI medications, and accurate dosing is particularly critical in treatments for conditions like HIV/AIDS.
Step-by-step explanation:
A Narrow Therapeutic Index (NTI) drug is defined as a medication for which there is a small margin between the therapeutic dose (the amount that is effective) and the toxic dose (the amount that can be harmful). This indicates that careful monitoring and precise dosing are critical for these types of medications, as slight variations in dose or blood concentration can lead to subtherapeutic effects or adverse reactions.
NTI drugs require stringent regulation and oversight to ensure patient safety. An example of a medication with a narrow therapeutic index is warfarin, a blood thinner that requires frequent blood tests to monitor its effect and avoid potential complications such as bleeding or clotting.
In the context of HIV treatment, accurate dosing is crucial to ensure efficiency of the regimen and to avoid resistance. The treatment for HIV/AIDS has evolved with the introduction of Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART), which includes various classes of drugs such as NRTIs, NNRTIs, and PIs. Even if a drug for HIV/AIDS has a narrow therapeutic index, it remains a cornerstone in the fight against the disease, and its use must be carefully balanced against the risk of resistance.